Biographical entry Godfrey, Joan Estelle (1922 - )

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In her nursing career Joan Godfrey has been a strong and outspoken advocate for improved standards in education and greater development for nurses.

Joan Godfrey had numerous memorable experiences during clinical practice whilst in training and thereafter. Her experience led to a concern for the welfare and status of nurses. All her professional life she worked with others to achieve professional status for nurses and improved educational and working conditions. She turned to education as the means to bring about change for nurses and taught at pre registration and post registration levels.

She developed considerable expertise in the field of nursing education gaining a high reputation amongst the nursing profession, in Queensland and beyond, as an educator. In 1960 when the then College of Nursing, Australia, expanded its operations to include a Queensland branch, Dr Godfrey was appointed as Staff Tutor. At this time she was also involved in the recruitment for enrolment in both short and long courses at the Branch, and conducting short courses in country areas throughout the State. She worked closely with the then Director of the College, Patricia Chomley, a leading pioneer in the cause of post basic education for nurses, to introduce "post graduate" studies in Queensland. Dr Godfrey was a major contributor in the development of College model for delivering post basic education to nurses.

Within five years Dr Godfrey was the appointed Principal of the Queensland branch of the College and took the opportunity to increase the number of graduates from Queensland and to assist others trying to improve the standards of nurse education. These activities were to culminate in the incorporation of the Queensland Branch of the College of Nursing, Australia into the Queensland Institute of Technology (QIT), later to become the Queensland University of Technology. Dr Godfrey became the Foundation Head of Nursing Studies in QIT and laid the foundations in post basic studies for nurses for others to build on.

A believer in life long learning she commenced university studies at the age of 40 as a part time student at the University of Queensland and then subsequently utilized her studies for the benefit of nurses.

Dr Godfrey was active in the life of the nursing profession and "made significant contributions to nursing education as a member of many statutory authorities and committees. She was involved at both State and national level with the concerns of major nursing organisations" such as the Florence Nightingale Committee, the Royal Australian Nursing Federation (now the Australian Nursing Federation) and the Royal College of Nursing, Australia. She served as President of the then College of Nursing, Australia in 1982-83 and served in the role of Censor-in-Chief for the 13 years from 1979-1992. At the College's invitation she gave the twenty fifth Patricia Chomley oration titled Nursing's Heritage: Chains to Loosen in 1991 at the annual meeting of RCNA in Brisbane. In recognition of her contribution to the life of the College she was awarded its highest honour, an Honorary Fellowship of the College, in 1993.

In retirement she was able to give more time to developing her interest in nursing history and collaborated with Bartz Schultz in 15 years of meticulous research and writing the seminal history of nursing in Australia in two volumes titled A Tapestry of Service - The Evolution of Nursing in Australia volumes one and two. Her contribution to the discipline of nursing was recognised with an honorary doctorate conferred by the Queensland University of Technology in 1994. Her service to nursing was recognised by the Queen with the award of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1984.

Events

1 February 1943 - 31 August 1946

Career position - Army service in the Australian Army Medical Women's Service (AAMWS), Australian Imperial Force

1947 - 1988

Career position - Member of the Royal Australian Nursing Federation

20 August 1947

Education - General Nursing Certificate completed at the Greenslopes Military Hospital/Cairns Base Hospital